I love you 'til the sun dies
by Vault Of Fanfiction
Summary: Louis has been through hell and lost more than anyone ever should. For that, he's not the same person anymore. Clementine will always be there for him, but will she be able to make him feel better? Inspired by episode 3 of Telltale's The Walking Dead: The Final Season.
1. Chapter 1

I wasn't the same person anymore after we'd returned to the school. The old Louis who would never shut up, who would always find a way to make everyone around him feel better and never failed to remind how much the people around him meant to him.. he was dead. Lost, and gone forever. I could feel everyone looking at me, feeling bad and lost because of what happened to me, sad because of the change in me. I couldn't guess what they were thinking, though, and honestly, I didn't care. I'd been so relieved and happy to see Clementine when she'd arrived to get me and the others back. I'd hugged her and cried in her arms while Aasim had told her what had happened. She'd been shocked, and I'd just.. silently smiled at her, despite being scared and hurting. My feelings for her hadn't changed one bit.  
But now that we'd all made it back home and I was in the safe environment once more, I just wanted to disappear. And I ran, I just ran as fast as I could to the dorms, through the corridor and into my room, slamming the door shut behind me and then just collapsing on the floor in one of the corners.. like I'd been when Clem had found me. I sat there, hugging myself, shaking and crying for everything I'd been through.. everything I'd lost. The pain, the sadness.. everything I'd been through flushed over me in one big wave that would drown me. I closed my eyes tightly as if to hide from everything.

I didn't know how long I'd been sitting there until I heard a faint knock on the door. I lifted my head just a little when the door opened, and Clementine stepped in. I saw her expression change from a little concerned to worried as she saw how I looked. I'd cried so much that my eyes were red, and the endless tears had stained my cheeks and mixed in with the blood around my mouth. I was a shaking mess, nothing else. Yet still Clementine walked to me, I could briefly see her holding a water bottle before she knelt down next to me. I wasn't going to drive her away, I didn't have the strength.. and I needed someone even though I couldn't say it.  
"Oh, Louis.."  
Clementine said with sorrowful eyes, interrupting my thoughts. I had just been thinking about the things I'd enjoyed before.. the things that had helped me through harder times and made me feel better.. Like playing the piano, more than anything. Before Clem came in, I'd made a heartbreaking decision. I was never going to play the piano again. No matter how much I'd loved it, that part of me was dead now. I couldn't think that playing might actually help me move on. But no, I just wouldn't be able to do it anymore, even though I had two working hands. I didn't know it yet, but Clementine had been talking about it with others, out on the yard. About finding some ways to help me. And Violet had brought up the piano, saying how I had sometimes used it to piss her off, playing and singing super loudly on purpose when she'd been close.  
"That piano, as much as he used it to drive me crazy, is such a big part of him. Can you talk with Louis, Clementine?"  
she'd asked.  
"Maybe, I don't know, try to get him to play it again. See if it would help?"

And now Clem was here, sitting down next to me. I didn't keep much of an eye contact with her, if at all. I just kept looking down with sad eyes.  
"Here, Louis.."  
she suddenly said, opened the water bottle and carefully tilted it a little to dampen a part of her sleeve, lacking a proper rag, and really gently and carefully cleaned the around of my mouth. She took her time and was really caring because she knew just how hurt I was.  
"There.. that's a little better,"  
she then said and gave me a small, reassuring smile. She then let me lean against her shoulder.  
"Louis.."  
she said after a very short silence, knowing that this might not be easy for me.  
"Please, listen to what I have to say, alright?"  
I only nodded, so Clementine took a deep breath to give herself more courage, and then just decided to bring up the plan.  
"Louis, I talked with the others before I came here, and Vi suggested that maybe you should try playing the piano again. She said how it always used to make you feel better, and also how you used it to drive her crazy."  
I turned a little pale, hearing about the plan. There was no way for me to do this..  
"Can you try, Louis? At least a little? Just to press some random keys, if nothing else. And I've.. missed hearing you play,"  
Clementine then said to end her speech. I already slowly shook my head, so caught in my fears. But Clem knew it, and she also knew that I shouldn't be allowed to keep going like this, because I would just destroy myself completely.  
"I promise to you, nothing will hurt you here,"  
she then said, pressing a gentle kiss on my cheek. And I didn't know how, but pretty soon I stood up with him. Some part of me was still voicelessly screaming how this was a bad idea, and I thought I agreed with it, but I also didn't want to let Clementine down. I never did. That alone was why I followed her outside. On the way to the admin building I briefly saw Violet look in our direction and giving an approving nod to Clementine. She nodded back and held my hand for every step of the way.

As we stepped into the building, it seemed and felt the same like it had done the last time I was there. The piano room entrance was just next to the front door, and Clementine carefully led me in. I then took a few deep breaths standing by the door before I walked with her into the room. Clementine encouraged me to sit on the bench and soon she joined me, sitting right next to me, which I was glad and relieved about. After a moment of total silence I pressed a couple of the keys just to try it out. Clementine smiled next to me.  
"Louis.."  
she then decided to say.  
"Can you.. try playing a song? Any song?"  
I turned to look at her, slightly tilting my head. I was seriously thinking about it. And after a moment of hesitation I put my hands on the keys, taking one last deep breath and started playing. Clementine recognised the song soon, it was "Little Do You Know" by Alex & Sierra. We had used to sing it together every now and then. But now it wouldn't be the case anymore. Still, I kept playing and soon I heard Clementine start singing the song just like nothing had changed.

 _"Little do you know  
How I'm breaking while you fall asleep  
Little do you know  
I'm still haunted by the memories"_

She sang and I kept playing while she continued the song. Her voice really was beautiful, I hadn't heard many like it before. Eventually the song reached the first chorus, where I would've taken over and started singing. But now the only sound I could produce was the one of silence. I looked at Clem and seemed a little scared, so soon she made the choice and continued singing for me. I didn't realize it at the time because I was so caught up by my feelings, but I smiled at her. Then she kept singing and leading us throughout the song while I took care of the music. The beautiful sounds of both the piano and Clementine filled the entire room.. Just like our voices had used to do before. We had sounded really good together. But now, all I could do was make sure the piano sounded better than it had ever done before.  
The song advanced and Clementine's voice echoed in my ears like the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard. Eventually we got to the final chorus, which was where we would've been singing together. And the harmony our voices had produced.. it was really special, no words could make it enough justice. I closed my eyes and let my fingers traverse on the piano keys as Clementine sang for both of us.

 _"Oh wait, just wait  
I love you like I've never felt the pain  
Just wait  
I love you like I've never been afraid  
Just wait  
Our love is here and here to stay  
So lay your head on me"_

I listened to her give her all to the song, and let it take me away completely. That was when the tears started running down my cheeks once more. This time I cried not only for everything I'd lost and could never get back, but also for the chance of maybe somehow moving on despite everything that I'd been through. For the first time I felt like maybe there was still some hope for me, too, and that I wasn't alone. As I guided the song close to the end, I smiled between the tears. Clementine had put her arm around me as she sang the last words of the song, which I normally would have done. But I still sang them in my mind.

 _"'Cause little do you know  
I, I love you 'til the sun dies"_


	2. Prologue

"Clem! Clementine!"  
I yelled as I ran right out of the admin building, passing by Rosie who was chilling on the stairs. I had my eyes fixated on the girl who was sitting on one of the couches in front of the dorms, and frantically waved some papers in my hand. I was so ridiculously excited about something that I just couldn't hold it in. As Clementine looked up, she saw me running towards her.  
"What is it, Louis?"  
she asked as I came to a full, hasty stop in front of her, having miscalculated the space I needed for slowing down, and fell down on the ground next to her feet. She seemed concerned.  
"Well, okay, that was kind of uncharismatic and embarrassing,"  
I said and heard Willy and Mitch laughing as they watched my performance. Then I started laughing too, a happy, bubbly laugh that I was unable to hold in.  
"But, you can't believe what I found!"  
I continued, talking so fast due to my excitement that it was a little hard to make out the words. Again I was waving the papers around right in front of Clem's face.  
"Okay.."  
she hummed, amused and tried to get a look at the papers, but couldn't do it because I failed to keep my hand still.  
"What's this?"  
she asked curiously.  
"Well.. it's a song that I found. I forgot I still had it saved, and, uh.."  
My sunny expression fluently changed into that of slight uneasiness. Clementine waited patiently while I tried to gather my pieces back together. I took a deep, shaky breath.  
"I.. I was just thinking if.. i-if you could, you know, maybe.. sing it with me?"  
I had started stuttering due to my mixed nervousness and excitement, and waited for Clementine to say something, still playing around with the papers.  
"Sing?"  
Clementine finally repeated and gently took the papers from my shaky hand. I forced myself to keep breathing while she went through the song lyrics. I was scared that for whatever silly reason she would reject my little suggestion. But then she said, causing my heart to almost jump out of my chest:  
"Hey, I know this song!"  
"You.. you do?"  
I asked, wondering if my ears were failing me. I looked right at her once more, my expression showing real excitement and just pure, bubbly happiness. It was funny how I could so fluently go from discomfort to just being so excited about something.  
"I do.. I used to listen to it like.. years ago, thinking it sounded pretty awesome. But never did I think that someday I'd be asked to sing it with someone,"  
she said to me, smiling the familiar smile that I loved so much.  
"So, uh.. do you?"  
I asked her, of course referring to if she wanted to come and sing with me. I felt the butterflies take flight in my stomach when she said:  
"I do."

She get up from the couch and walked with me across the courtyard and back towards the admin building.  
"Louis, are you alright?"  
she then asked me. I was quiet for a while, trying to connect the dots about what she meant.  
"You just took that pretty impressive nose dive when you ran to me back there,"  
she cleared out.  
"Oh, yeah, that.. Yeah, I'm fine, Clem. I was just so excited to show you this,"  
I calmed her down a little. She gave me that smile that just always made me a little weak in the knees.  
"You know, Lou.. It's really good to see you like that. Your happiness is always overflowing, and I wouldn't want to have it any other way. Please don't ever change."  
Hearing that made my heart skip a beat. But then I smiled again.  
"I promise, Clem,"  
I said and took her hand in my own. She squeezed it softly.

We walked hand in hand up the steps, into the building and then heades straight into the music room. All the way my heart kept bouncing around like it was about to break free from my chest.  
"Clem, I'm.. really happy that you didn't turn me down,"  
I said, showing for the first time how I'd felt a little insecure about it.  
"Louis, I would never, ever do it,"  
she swore to me and looked so serious that I believed her right on the spot.  
As we got to the music room, she followed me right to the piano. I sat down and she settled right next to me, putting the notes where they belonged. I then started calmly playing with very little effort. Playing the piano just was in my blood, I thought. Clementine was slowly nodding her head to the sound of the piano, and then, right on cue, she started singing.

 _"Little do you know  
How I'm breaking while you fall asleep  
Little do you know  
I'm still haunted by the memories  
Little do you know  
I'm trying to pick myself up piece by piece_

 _Little do you know  
I need a little more time"_

I looked a little shocked when I heard her sing for the first time. It sounded so effortless and beautiful. She turned to look at me and I saw her expression change into that of concern. I then shook my head and nodded to her so she would keep singing. She smiled back at me and carried on with the song. Her voice sounded like it could belong to an angel.

 _"Underneath it all I'm held captive by the hole inside  
I've been holding back for the fear that you might change your mind  
I'm ready to forgive you but forgetting is a harder fight_

 _Little do you know  
I need a little more time"_

Then she went quiet and I took over. It was so seamless one could have sworn that we'd been practising. But that wasn't it, this was our first time doing anything like this together.

 _"I'll wait, I'll wait  
I love you like you've never felt the pain  
I'll wait  
I promise you don't have to be afraid  
I'll wait  
The love is here and here to stay  
So lay your head on me"_

I sang while still playing the piano. My fingers were running on the keys without me even having to look at them. This was like my second nature. And while I thought that my voice didn't sound quite as beautiful as hers did, it still resonated nicely with the tunes of the piano. From the corner of my eye I could see Clementine swaying lightly from side to side, living in the moment. It warmed my heart to see her getting so into this.  
As I moved on to the next verse I relaxed a little and started being more confident with my singing again, which sounded really damn good for someone who had never actually been taking singing lessons. I guessed there was just some natural talent mixed up in all of this.

 _"Little do you know  
I know you're hurting while I'm sound asleep  
Little do you know  
All my mistakes are slowly drowning me  
Little do you know  
I'm trying to make it better piece by piece_

 _Little do you know  
I, I love you 'til the sun dies"_

The smile on my face faded away a little. This verse in particular spoke to me on a personal level. I knew I'd made mistakes, a lot of them, and while I always kept a brave face on, acting like nothing could faze me, it was only half of the truth. I was quite insecure of myself at times, and was worried that one day my inability to take care of something would be that one last mistake, the one to cost someone their life. But I was trying to be better, even though not everyone could see it. But Clementine did, I believed so. She gave me a reassuring smile, and I smiled brightly right back at her.

And then we started singing together in harmony.

 _"Oh wait, just wait  
I love you like I've never felt the pain  
Just wait  
I love you like I've never been afraid  
Just wait  
Our love is here and here to stay  
So lay your head on me"_

I felt like my heart was beating so loud that it would soon burst out of my chest. I heard my own voice perfectly blend in with Clementine's own, almost like it was meant to be this way. The song was a duet of course, but in my mind I felt like it had never sounded this good before. Clementine closed her eyes, letting this moment carry her away completely. I soon followed her example, seeing how open and comfortable she felt, and let my eyes close as well.

 _"I'll wait (I'll wait), I'll wait (I'll wait)  
I love you like you've never felt the pain  
I'll wait (I'll wait)  
I promise you/I don't have to be afraid  
I'll wait  
The love is here and here to stay  
So lay your head on me  
Lay your head on me  
So lay your head on me"_

We continued singing in perfect unison, our voices growing even louder as we let all our happiness burst free. Due to being so caught up in the song we didn't even notice how we had some audience looking and listening near the music room doorway. Willy and Violet had snuck in and stood there for some time. Willy seemed a little mesmerized by what he was witnessing. Violet was speechless as well by how two people could sound so good together, like it really was meant to be just like that. Eventually, before we could end the song, she touched Willy's shoulder and gestured to him that they should leave before we were able to notice anything. And after taking one last look at us they left. Just in time too, because the song was coming to an end.

 _"'Cause little do you know  
I, I love you 'til the sun dies..."_

I finished the song and slowly opened my eyes. Clementine did the same, too. And for some time we just sat there, looking at each other. I felt greatly out of breath by this one of a kind experience. Clementine looked straight into my eyes.  
"Are you alright?"  
she quietly mouthed the words, and I nodded. Then she got a little closer to me and gently pressed her lips against my own, and kissed me. I felt my face turn a little red as I put my arms over her shoulders, looking at her affectionately. The kiss lasted for a while, and after we slowly, reluctantly pulled away from each other, I just didn't want this moment to end yet. I tried looking for some courage from those beautiful eyes of hers.  
"I love you, Clem.."  
I whispered and, with my heart still beating like crazy, I kissed her again.


End file.
